US military set to receive first shipment of $22 billion Microsoft HoloLens contract

The US military is set to receive.

its first shipment of augmented reality headsets from Microsoft on December 30

following a $22 billion contract awarded by the Pentagon back in November. Although Microsoft beat out Magic Leap to score the lucrative deal, there are some concerns among employees that the tech giant is investing too much in defense contracts. More than 50 employees resigned to protest their employer’s increased focus on military and DHS contracts amid fears the technology could be misused by government or law enforcement.

Microsoft says its HoloLens devices will be used “to help people working in hazardous environments keep their hands free while still enjoying access to all the tools and information they need.”

The US military is set to receive

its first shipment of augmented reality headsets from Microsoft on December 30, following a $22 billion contract awarded by the Pentagon back in November.

The US military is set to receive its first shipment of augmented reality headsets from Microsoft on December 30, following a $22 billion contract awarded by the Pentagon back in November.

The contract, which was announced in November, will see 100,000 HoloLens AR glasses sent out over three years and worth $7 billion more than what it took to develop them.

The announcement follows the announcement earlier this year that Microsoft was acquiring Israeli firm Nauto for an undisclosed sum as part of their push into smart cars and autonomous vehicles (AVs).

Although Microsoft beat out Magic Leap to score the lucrative deal,

There are some concerns among employees that the tech giant is investing too much in defense contracts.

Although Microsoft beat out Magic Leap to score the lucrative deal, there are some concerns among employees that the tech giant is investing too much in defense contracts.

The HoloLens has been used by the military for training purposes and is also being used by law enforcement agencies, including Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers as well as members of DHS’s Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM).

The device allows users to see, hear and interact with holograms in real time—a capability that could be beneficial during biometric identification processes or other situations where security personnel need access to information about a person without them seeing them directly.

More than 50 employees resigned to protest

Their employer’s increased focus on military and DHS contracts amid fears the technology could be misused by government or law enforcement.

Microsoft has a long history of working with the Department of Homeland Security, and it’s not the only tech company doing so. In fact, Microsoft isn’t even the only one doing so this year.

Google announced plans to provide $17 million in cloud services to DHS as part of its contract with that agency earlier this month; meanwhile, IBM has been working closely with DHS since 2015 on cybersecurity technology and infrastructure projects related to artificial intelligence (AI).

In other words: if you’re upset about your employer potentially providing technology that could be used for surveillance purposes—and especially if you work for any branch of government or law enforcement agency—you’re not alone!

Microsoft says its HoloLens

Devices will be used “to help people working in hazardous environments keep their hands free while still enjoying access to all the tools and information they need.”

The Microsoft HoloLens headset is a mixed reality device that lets users see and interact with holograms in the real world. The military will use it to help soldiers keep their hands free while still enjoying access to all the tools and information they need.

Microsoft says its HoloLens devices will be used “to help people working in hazardous environments keep their hands free while still enjoying access to all the tools and information they need.”

The US Military has agreed a contract for over 100,000 HoloLens AR glasses from Microsoft.

HoloLens is a mixed reality headset that can be used for gaming and entertainment, but also for business and education. It’s a standalone device, not requiring a connection to a PC or phone.

The US Military has agreed a contract for over 100,000 HoloLens AR glasses from Microsoft.

Conclusion

Combining the military and HoloLens seems like a good fit for Microsoft, since it gives the company a chance to show off its abilities in new ways. It also shows that Microsoft is willing to take risks on products that might not be immediately successful—something that may be necessary if they want to stay ahead of competitors like Apple or Google.